Give Him a Chance: A Harry Potter Tale
by Dynamo of Volition
Summary: After three long years of trying to get along in the adult world,the trio is failing,but Hermione is the only one ready to take on something so life altering. She needs a man's help, but one will back down and leave her, the other to rescue her. Please R
1. Midnight Meeting: Chapter 1

AN: If you read this story, you have to read my other story I co-wrote. It's under Lethal Trinity's account. It's called A Hogwarts Tale: The Alchemist: Betrayal. Read it! It's amazing, if I don't say so myself. Hope you like my story!

A sharp thudding could be heard from the kitchen of the little flat that belonged to Ron and Hermione. Hermione was in the kitchen chopping up tomatoes, onions and lettuce for a salad. The chopping was much more aggresive then necessary, and if Ron had walked in and found her like that, he might have feared for his well being. They'd had another row, just like any other night, and following as was promised, Ron left to go to a local bar a few blocks down to dwell on his thoughts over a few fire whiskeys.

She sighed, setting the knife down, her hands trembling slightly along with her lower lip as she tried to fight back tears. She thought over her mother's words, when she had talked to her about what was going on between herself and Ron. Laura Granger had told her daughter that sometimes, people grow apart, and without their consent, they drift in different directions. Hermione couldn't bring herself to accept those words. It was different when they were teenagers though, and she couldn't ignore that, but once it got down to getting a job and making a living in their magical world, she and Ron failed to agree. Agreeing to disagree wasn't working either.

Hermione jumped when she heard a sound on the window behind her and she peered out into the darkness, not being able to see much. She slowly opened the window then jumped back when a light brown barn owl hopped onto her counter with a roll of parchment tied to its talon. Hermione untied the letter and set it aside for a moment while she got a treat for the owl, then sent it back out the window. She unrolled the parchment after closing the window and read it. It was from Molly Weasley; she knew she recognized the hand writing.

Ron sat at the bar on a tall, wooden stool, sipping on his alchohol, staring at a spot on the counter, lost in his recollections of the fight from earlier that night. The girl next to him seemed to be flirting with him, but he was oblivious, only giving one word answers and not even looking at the woman as if she was an attractive human... Ron didn't care. He payed for his drinks and decided to leave before the girl got carried away in trying to get his attention, or before he ended up drunk and stumbling home. He didn't need to make Hermione any more angry then she was.

Ron got in the elevator and headed up to the top level and pulled out his keys and unlocked the door, stepping into the small, two bedroom flat. "Hermione... you here?" He called softly, a little timidly.

"I'm in the kitchen." She called back, trying to steady her voice.

Ron walked into the kitchen and came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. "Are you still mad at me?" He asked softly, his lips at her ear.

"No, I'm not mad anymore. I'm sorry, I don't like it when we fight, it's just... I know I can be a little stubborn sometimes." She said softly back.

"It's not your fault, Hermione. I love you, and I want you to know that. I'm sorry too."

"I love you too. I made your favorite cookies if you want some. I'll meet you in the living room." She said, looking over her shoulder at him.

Ron nodded and kissed her cheek before walking out to their small living room, with a large couch, an old rocking chair and a fireplace that had been void of flames for a few weeks since it was summer.

Hermione made sure the letter from Molly was securely in her back pocket as she put three cookies on a plate and got him a glass of milk. She took a deep breath then walked out into the living room, putting on a strained smile.

"Thank you."

"So, I got a letter from your mum today." She started quietly as she took a seat in the rocking chair after pulling the letter from her back pocket.

"Oh yeah? Wha' di' i' say?" He asked from behind a mouth full of cookie.

"Well, she wanted to know how we were doing here in our new flat, how we liked it and all, wanted me to tell you hello and that she'll be sending you some gifts soon. She also told me that Remus and Tonks actually had a son, before they both died in the war. Who would've thought? I don't know why they wanted to hide him from everyone, but yeah... and, erm, we're going to take care of the little boy." Hermione explained, rambling a bit, then doing a full 360 as she came back to her final statement, just blurting it out and getting it over with.

Ron stared at her as he swallowed his cookie without even chewing it very well. He blinked a few times, as if that let the words sink in a little better, more completely. "Wait... what?!" He asked, shocked into a state of numbness.

"His name is Teddy Lupin, and I've been given care of him, I'm his gaurdian now, well... we are." She said, trying to smile to encourage him to embrace this new thought.

Ron stood up and shook his head vigorously. "Hermione... I'm not ready to be a father... figure. I-I want to live a little, travel, do things that would otherwise be unavailable to me if I was tied down with a kid." He said, waving his hands around for emphasis, but it just annoyed Hermione.

"What are you saying? You're not going to help me?" She asked, her voice taking the defensive. She stood up and walked over to me and took his hand in hers, but his hand was gone just as soon as it was there. "What if it was your own child? What if I was pregnant?" She asked him, her brows furrowed, and her expression pleading.

"I-I don't know, okay!" He said defensively, almost shouting at her, a frown on his face, but she felt he wasn't sincerely sorry.

Hermione fell back to sit on the couch, her head now resting in her hands. "Please, Ron... don't do this. I need you." She begged through her hands, the sound of her voice muffled as she felt her hands become wet with her tears.

"I can't..." Ron said in a pained tone. It was like a stab to her stomach. "I guess this is it..." He added softly, and he took a step forward to comfort Hermione, to apologize, but as soon as he took a step forward, Hermione heard the door shut, and the man she loved was gone.

Hermione looked up slowly, only to confirm that Ron was gone, and they would no longer be together. She stood up slowly from the couch, her hands shaky, and tears streaming down her eyes. 'How could he just walk out on me like that?' She asked herself angrily, starting to feel bitterness towards him boiling in the pit of her stomach, along with a painful, gaping hole of a wound that seemed to be there now, appearing right after the door had shut.

She walked around the room for a moment, not knowing what to do. She finally fell back on the couch, left over tears finding their way down her face, but no new ones fell. Her tears were now replaced by anger, frustration, and at a loss of what to do. She looked up to the fire place and her eyes caught a picture on the mantel of herself, Ron, and Harry from the summer after their seventh year, when all the fighting had ended. They all looked truly happy, and this made her even more angry, to see Ron's smiling face looking at her like everything was fine. She stormed over to the fire and slammed the picture face down, and as she turned away from the picture, she took a quick, sharp breath inward.

Her hands slowly reached back over and flipped up the picture, and her eyes stared into Harry's beautiful emerald eyes, and he smiled back at her, one of his arms over her shoulder in the picture. She couldn't help but smile softly back, a sad, meak smile. It was then she knew what she had to do, but the question was if she had the courage to venture there, to go down that path. She didn't even know if he would want this, because Ron had certainly given a pretty steadfast answer. She was afraid now, and she had every right to be, given the fact that Ron was her trial run.

As the night wore on, late into the midnight hours, Hermione had changed into her pajamas; a pair of blue flannel pajama pants and a white tank top, and curled up on her bed, holding one of Ron's old shirts in her hands, clutching at it until her knuckles turned white. Her hands relaxed as she slowly cried herself to sleep. She would be lieing to herself if she said that she wouldn't cry over the stupid git. She'd loved that stupid git, and nobody could judge her for being heart broken. Although some might say she was a stupid git for loving him in the first place.


	2. Reunited With You: Chapter 2

The rain poured down that dark and cold night on Hermione's shadowed figure as she walked up a large gravel driveway that led

Author's Notes: I tried to make chapter two a bit longer, so please review and tell me if it needs more. I can't tell if I'm using one word too much, or anything like that. Please let me know!

Disclaimer (Forgot to put this on the first chapter): I do not own any of these characters, they are all a creation of J.K. Rowling who has complete ownership. The only thing I hold a right to is my plot and my writing. Copying my work is a big no-no.

The rain poured down that dark and cold night on Hermione's shadowed figure as she walked up a large gravel driveway that led up to a very large house. You could almost call it a mansion, with the large, oak double doors with the large knocker in the shape of a lion's head that looked similar to the Gryffindor lion.

Hermione walked up to the large doors, double checking her thoughts. Did she want to go through with this? She hadn't seen Harry Potter in so many years, she didn't know what he would be like, what he would look like, but the most important part that she'd overlooked was if he was with anyone. She'd never imagined Harry _with_ anyone.

Teddy Lupin had been given to her to be cared for by her. Tonks and Remus thought that Hermione would make a very good mother to their son. She was a motherly figure that they knew they could trust. In the letter, they had appointed Harry as the godfather, but they didn't give Harry care of him because they thought a mother had more importance then a father if they had to make a choice. The problem was is that Hermione needed help. She couldn't do this without a man to help her. Even though she could be a mother figure, a little boy needed a father in his life, and who better then Harry to father a child who also lost his parents at a very young age.

Hermione slowly reached her hand up; her jeans and thigh length dark blue trench coat were soaked, along with her curly hair, which was no longer curly. She grabbed the large knocker and lifted it up then let it go, and just of its own accord it made a very loud thud against the gold plate it landed on against the door.

Upstairs, on the second floor of Harry's house, Ginny was in the bathroom freshening up for the night, and Harry was laying in the bed in only his boxers, playing idly with a model of a snitch that always sat on his bedside table. Harry heard the knock, and wondered who could be out at this hour. "Ginny, I'll be right back." Harry called in the general direction of his bathroom, then got out of the bed and headed out of his room and down the long, straight staircase fairly quickly. When he opened the door his eyes were wide.

"Hermione is that you?" He asked, surprised. "Oh, I'm sorry, get out of that rain, come in, please." He said quickly with a small smile. Hermione smiled up at him a little sheepishly and stepped in.

"Hi Harry. I'm sorry to be knocking on your door so late. I would hug you, but I'm a little wet." She said with a soft laugh, looking down at her wet clothes, then back up at him.

Harry just laughed and walked up and hugged her eagerly anyways. "I don't mind. I haven't seen you in forever Hermione!" He said, sounded very happy to see her, which made Hermione feel a little better about coming over.

Hermione hugged him back, a little surprised, but willingly put her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tighter hug that was reminiscent of those summer greetings at the burrow when the she would see Harry for the first time that summer.

"I know, I'm sorry I haven't made more of an effort to come see you or anything, or write. I feel horrible. Life has just been… really busy." She said with an apologetic smile.

Harry shook his head and waved that comment away with his hand. "I don't mind. I didn't make much of an effort either, and I apologize. It's just as much your fault as it is mine."

Come on; let's get you out of those clothes."

"Thank you, it's freezing out there."

"So why did you come here anyways, just to see poor old me?" Harry asked teasingly as he took Hermione wet jacket and put a wandless drying charm on it before hanging it up in the closet behind him.

"Hermione? Merlin, is that you?" A girl called in question from the top of the stairs.

Hermione looked up to see the red headed Weasley, the girl who used to be one of her best friends.

"Hey Ginny!" Hermione called, but her greeting wasn't filled with as much gusto as her voice started to falter when she caught site just in time to see Ginny wrapping a red robe around a very revealing black night gown. She bit her bottom lip slightly, and frowned, knowing she'd interrupted something now. For all her thoughts coming together at that moment, she held her composure pretty well.

Harry was with Ginny. Ginny was with Harry. She had walked in on their intimate night together, and now she felt horrible. She couldn't possible spring her question on Harry now, with Ginny right here. She would have to lie, and she really, really didn't want to lie to Harry. This was not a good start to rebuilding their friendship.

Ginny came down the stairs in twos and met Ginny at the landing, hugging her tightly. Then Ginny released her from her bear hug and had one hand on each of Hermione's shoulders and held her at arms length. "You look so different, so grown up!" Ginny exclaimed with a grin, then hugged her again.

"Oh my, you're right soaked Hermione." Ginny said, after the dampness on her robe set it.

"Ginny, would you mind getting our new guest a new pair of clothes?" Harry asked.

"Sure, I'll be right back. Oh Hermione, I'm just so happy to see you!" Ginny quipped again and couldn't resist to giving Hermione one more hug, then she went back from where she came.

"She seems happy." Hermione said quietly, turning back to Harry.

"She is. Who wouldn't be when seeing you after three years?"

Hermione just laughed and shrugged. She couldn't come up with a humorous come back for that one as she felt the tiredness start to set it on her.

"How about some hot tea, and I'll meet you in the living room? It's just through that way."

"That sounds nice, thank you." She said and headed into his living room.

Hermione walked around the large, lavish living room, walking over to the mantle on the fireplace and looked at his line of pictures. There was the same picture of her, Ron, and Harry that she'd had on her mantle. She looked down the rest of the pictures, and she smiled softly as she came to a picture of just herself and Harry, hugging each other, and every once in a while Harry would pick her up in the photo and swing her around in a full 360, a bright smile on both the people's faced. It looked to her like the old Hermione. The always smiling Hermione, who only had to worry about petty teenage troubles. It was so different back then.

Maybe her mother was right. When Hermione had gone to her for advice on what to do about her relationship with Ron, she'd given her daughter more of a life lesson then a how-to. She had said some people just drift apart over time. They grow away from each other, and you can't help it. It's the order of the universe. It may have seemed perfect and easy when you were teenagers, but when it comes to morals and adult values sometimes you're just not 'meshing' together.

Hermione had taken her words into consideration, and she knew every singly point her mother had made related to Ron and her, but she still denied it. The thought wouldn't place itself correctly in her head, like a body rejecting its new organ.

"I made it a little warmer the usual for you, since you're cold."

Hermione jumped slightly and turned to see Harry holding two cups that looked more like coffee cups then tea cups. She quickly walked away from the pictures, turning her back on them.

She went and sat down on a chair, while Harry sat down on the couch across from her.

"Thank you." She said with a smile and took a first sip of tea. The warm liquid entered her body happily, as if it was going through her veins and heating every part of her.

"Here you go Hermione, nice and warm." Ginny called from behind her as she walked into the living room.

Hermione set her tea cup down and stood up to take the clothes from Ginny. "Thank you."

Ginny pointed her in the direction of the nearest bathroom and Hermione headed off that way to change.

"So she hasn't said why she's here?"

"No, and I'm not going to press her so quickly. She looks tired and she seemed to be standing outside for a long time contemplating to come in or not, so I'm going to give her some time."

"I bet it's Ron. The stupid git, he probably screwed something up again." Ginny said a little sourly, shaking her head slowly, back and forth as if she was scolding Ron like he was in the room.

Harry lounged back on the couch, sipping his tea and thinking about Hermione. He was truly glad to see her, and whatever she was here for he was sure he would be of whatever assistance he could. He was planning on letting her stay here for the night, and he hoped Ginny wouldn't make too much of a fuss about it. He knew she could be jealous, especially in school.

Things with Harry and Ginny weren't going so well either. Harry suspected Ginny of cheating on her because he hadn't been giving her any lately. He was starting to feel the need to be apart from Ginny sometimes, to have his space, and he knew that his love for her was dwindling. He only felt lust for the red-head, and even that was starting to fade.

Hermione came back in the room, making sure to enter the living room when she didn't hear any talking so that she didn't interrupt a private conversation. "Thanks for the clothes, Ginny. I really appreciate it. These are much better. I hope you don't mind, I just hung up my wet clothes in the bathroom for now."

Harry and Ginny nodded. "That's fine." Harry spoke first.

Hermione sat back down and picked up her tea and took another sip of it.

"I'm getting tired. Hermione do you mind if I excuse myself off to bed? I wish I could stay and talk, but I have to leave for work in the morning."

"No, that's fine, go ahead. Good night, Ginny." Hermione said with a friendly smile.

"Good night, good night, Harry." Ginny said, nodding to Hermione first then turning to Harry, who kissed her on the cheek and smiled with a 'good night' of his own.

"I'll be up soon." He added quietly before she left.

When Ginny was gone, Hermione looked over to Harry with a smile. "I'm glad you two are happy together, at least one of our relationships is working out." Hermione joked sarcastically, letting her voice trail off.

Harry nodded and sighed. He knew she was here because of Ron. She'd left their little flat to get away.

"Harry, er, do you mind if I sleep here tonight? I feel really rude asking, but I-I don't want to go back out in that rain, and I'd like to be able to spend more time with you so we can catch up and all…" Hermione asked, feeling a little timid.

Harry nodded with a grin. "Of course you can stay Hermione, how about I show you up to your room?" He asked as he stood up and held is hand out to Hermione to help her up.

Hermione smiled up at him and mumbled a sheepish "Thanks", then Harry headed out of the living room with Hermione right behind him, and they both headed up the stairs.

Hermione was now wearing grey sweat pants and a loose fitting t-shirt. It wasn't the most flattering, but she didn't mind. At least it wasn't wet.

"Here is your room, Hermione. I think you'll find this one to your liking." He said with a smile.

Hermione stepped in and saw a large queen size bed, a large fireplace in the wall to the left of the bed, with a long couch in front of the fireplace. On the opposite wall to the fireplace was a full wall of books on oak shelves. She had to smile at that. He knew her well. There were two double doors with dark oak panes that matched the book case, and glass windows. She figured those two doors led out to a small balcony of some sort.

After looking around Hermione nodded approvingly. "It's perfect. You have impeccable taste." She said in a slight teasing tone.

Harry just laughed softly, but the look on his eyes while he watched Hermione was different then earlier. It felt like a stare of approval… and _love._ Harry slowly walked up to her and took her hand in his, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Hermione… why are you really here?" He asked softly, his voice the softest and sweetest of tones she'd ever heard from Harry, let alone any man Harry's age.

She smiled softly, but it was a sad smile, and her eyes showed pain and agony. She hoped he didn't look to deep into her eyes. "Ron and I haven't been getting along so well. We've had row after row, and this last one… it just… blew it." She said, tears starting to well up in her eyes, her gaze averted from Harry.

Harry pulled her into a soft, comforting hug, rubbing her back soothingly. He'd gotten better at dealing with crying girls. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I know Ron can be difficult sometimes. You're welcome to stay here as long as you need, and if you need anything while you're here, my room is the third door down from yours. You can come to me with anything. I'll be here for you." He said, his voice barely above a whisper in her ear.

Hermione closed her eyes and smiled softly as he said this. She wrapped her own arms around his torso as she felt tears start to seep through her eyelashes. "Thank you, Harry. You don't know how much better that makes me feel." She said softly, her voice cracking into a whisper as she buried her head in his chest and cried. He made soothing shushing noises while he rubbed her back. Hermione took a few deep breaths, trying to get herself together. She pulled away and looked up at Harry through blurred, teary eyes. "I've missed you… a lot." She whispered, her bottom lip still quivering slightly.

"I've missed you too Hermione. I want you to stay with me as long as you need to, and we can get caught up. I want to know everything that's been going on… well, obviously not right now, but tomorrow. Promise?" He asked her with a smile, making it more of a statement then a question.

Hermione smiled and nodded. "Of course." She said softly, wiping the stray tears off her cheeks.

Harry reached a hand up and wiped away the tear stains on her cheeks with a finger. "I care about you Hermione, and I hate to see you hurting like this. Whatever I can do to make you feel better, just tell me." He said with an eager nod, and Hermione believed him, down to the very last word.

"Right now I think I just need a good night's rest." She said.

Harry kissed her forehead and nodded. "That sounds like a good start. Good night, Hermione."

Hermione smiled and closed her eyes for a moment, relishing the feeling when he kissed her forehead. "Good night, Harry." She whispered, then slowly let go of his hand and turned and headed over to the bed and pulled back the sheets. Harry felt his hand become cold as soon as she let go of it, and the tips of his fingers tingled. "Sweet dreams." He whispered before closing the door, and heading down the hallway to his room.

Ginny was laying in Harry's bed on top of the covers in the same, thigh length black night gown that Hermione had seen. She was reading a muggle magazine while she waited for Harry.

When Harry walked in and saw Ginny like that on his bed, he couldn't help but smirk. He'd gotten a little out of hand with his sex life. He and Ginny did it pretty much every night, and the only reason the shagging kept going was because they used it as an excuse to get away from actually talking out their problems.

Ginny smiled over at Harry as he walked in, "Hey." She said softly. Harry rubbed his forehead in a manner of a person who was very stressed. "Hi." He said simply, and got on the bed, laying on his back, but propped up against the head board.

"I'm letting Hermione stay here for the night. You were right, it was Ron, and she's in a lot of pain right now. I told her she could stay here as long as she needs to." He explained, hoping Ginny understood.

"That's very nice of you. I knew Ron would screw something up like that. He should feeling like the luckiest guy on earth to have Hermione, because she was the only girl… besides Lavender… who gave him the slightest encouragement or notice. She actually paid attention to him, and now he's never going to get another girl." Ginny explained, sighing and shaking her head in that scolding manner again.

Harry just laughed a strained laugh and nodded in agreement.

Ginny looked over at him with a curious expression, then set her magazine back on the bedside table. She got on her knees and climbed over to Harry's side, straddling his waist on her knees. "You look tense." She whispered as she leaned her head in to kiss Harry's lips passionately, but started out softer.

Harry kissed her back for a moment, getting caught up in the feeling, while back in Hermione's room she was laying on her side in a slight fetal position, her right hand clutching at the sheets until her knuckles were white, and tears rolled sideways down her cheeks as she cried, her sobs were fairly quiet.

Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and moved up higher on him, so the upper half of her body was right up against his. She kissed him with more gusto, opening her lips up to him, but Harry put a hand up, and pulled away from her lips. No matter how bad he wanted that, he couldn't bring himself to do it tonight.

"G-Ginny, please… not tonight." He said softly.

"Oh." Ginny said quietly, then she looked at him questioningly.

"Why not? Is it because of _her?_" She asked, her expression already shocked as if this was the reason and she knew it.

"Well, I don't want her walking in on us having sex. I don't want to make things awkward… so yeah…" He said apologetically.

Ginny just nodded and got off of him and laid back down, but got under the covers this time, laying her head on the pillow with her back turned to him.

Harry sighed, feeling back, but he couldn't risk that, and he just didn't want to have sex tonight. He hoped Ginny wouldn't be too mad at him for refusing. He turned off the lamp on his bedside table, but didn't lay down all the way. He was worried about Hermione, worried something was wrong, and he had been wrong to think that she would come to him so easily. She wasn't like that. She knew he was sleeping with Ginny, and he realized it wasn't like Hermione to come and just knock on his door wanting comfort. She was a stubborn girl, and didn't take help that easily.

Harry waited a few more minutes until he heard Ginny's even breathing, then slowly snuck out of his bed and out of his room, and headed down the hallway to where Hermione was sleeping. She was definitely still crying, but it was as if she couldn't feel the pain anymore, she was just aware that it was there, and her whole body felt numb. Her eyes were closed, but she still sobbed, her hand still clutching the sheet like it was some sort of lifeline.

Harry slowly opened the door and pulled out his wand. "Lumos." He whispered.

"Hermione, are you alright?" He asked, hearing the sobbing.

She laid still, Harry didn't startle her, as if she was expecting him to come in and check on her. It was just like him. "No." She mumbled, quickly wiping the tears off her cheeks. She sat up a little bit and flipped the pillow over onto the other side so that she didn't have to lay her head on the wet puddle of tears… and maybe so Harry couldn't see how long she'd been crying.

Harry quickly walked over to her side, still only in his boxers, but he didn't care. He sat down on the bed next to her, and took her hand in his that had been clutching the sheets.

"Do you want to tell me what happened between you and Ron?" He asked tentatively.

Hermione sighed, and just started into it, but she would have to lie if she didn't want to give away the real reason she had come here. She didn't want Harry to know yet.

"It was like any other night; we had small arguments over little things, like he would always leave his clothes laying everywhere. But tonight I brought up an apparently very sensitive subject." She said quietly, sniffling slightly.

"I told Ron I wanted to have a baby. I didn't mean that moment or the next day, I just wanted to talk about it calmly, like adults, to plan with him. Frankly I thought I would be with him the rest of m-my life." She explained sadly, her tone was heavy with hurt.

"Oh." Was all that escaped from Harry's lips as his eyes glanced away from Hermione for a moment, then he looked back to her and gave her a caring smile.

"I'm very sorry he reacted badly."

"He just flipped! He went insane just at the mention of it, said he wanted to 'live a little'." She explained with some bitterness rolling off her tongue along with a few tears rolling down her cheeks.

Harry frowned and laid down completely next to her and muttered something Hermione couldn't here, but the next moment his light was off on his wand, and he set it on the bedside table.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him, and put a hand on the back of her head and stroked her curls, playing with a few of them.

"I'll stay with you, until you fall asleep, alright? You don't need to worry about Ron anymore. I know it's hard to forget, but I'm going to help you try." He whispered.

"Thank you." Hermione whispered in reply.

She closed her eyes and let her forehead rest on his bare chest and took a deep breath.

"Don't worry. I'm right here." Harry whispered, and kissed Hermione's forehead again, running his hands soothingly through her hair.

Soon Hermione was breathing peacefully, with no more tears and no more sobbing. Harry wanted to stay with her, but he knew Ginny would have a fit. He stood up next to the bed and looked down at Hermione, glad to see her expression was at least somewhat peaceful. With the light of the moon shining down, barely lighting up the features on her face, she looked beautiful. Harry smiled softly, and before he could let his eyes wander on her anymore he turned and left the room very quietly, closing the door behind him. He went back to his own room and got back in bed.

Ginny stirred slightly and rolled on her other side to face Harry, her arm subconsciously going over Harry's waist. Harry sighed and slowly removed Ginny's arm from him, trying not to wake her. He rolled onto his side so his back was to her and he closed his eyes. The image of Hermione laying in her bed with the moonlight on her form put him to sleep, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that he felt for Hermione, a feeling of which he couldn't put a word on.


	3. It's a Boy: Chapter 3

AN: I'm trying to pump out these chapters as fast as I can for you guys, since you seem to like the story, so I'm trying to ke

AN: I'm trying to pump out these chapters as fast as I can for you guys, since you seem to like the story, so I'm trying to keep up, but I do have a life outside the computer, so sorry if you have to wait a bit for a new chapter. I'm also trying to organize what I want to happen in order for this story, because there's going to be a lot coming, so I need to figure out what I want to happen before or after this certain "event" (wink wink), or if I even want something like that to happen at all, so just bear with me. Thanks!

The sun was peaking through the curtains of Hermione's room that she was staying in, creating lines of yellow across the cream colored carpet. When she woke up she didn't even have to look at a clock, she knew it was late in the morning. She felt groggy, and she didn't want to open her eyes to be blinded by the day light. She just lay in her bed, still as if she was sleeping, and she thought about the previous days events. She was perfectly aware she was in Harry's house, it was just… strange. Her eyes slowly started to open in reaction to the smell of… bacon? The lovely scent danced around her nose and made her stomach grumble. She hadn't eaten dinner last night, and boy, was she starving. The only thing that kept her in bed was her thoughts. She didn't want to get up and face what she had to do today.

Downstairs, Harry was cooking a very large breakfast for Hermione—Ginny had already left for work. He wanted to give her choices, so he made everything from pancakes to eggs to biscuits and gravy to sausage. He put everything he'd made onto two trays, including three types of drinks for Hermione to choose from. He stood back and surveyed his work, and grinned, proud of himself for making such a delicious looking breakfast. He knew Hermione was going through a rough time, and he was going to do everything in his power to make this day easier for her.

Harry levitated the two trays with his wand, the food staying expertly balanced and not a single piece spilling on the floor. He walked up the stairs and went to Hermione's door. He set the trays down on a thin, dark, oak table in the hallway that had a vase of flowers on it. He grabbed two of the flowers, a white tulip and a pink rose, and set them on her tray, making the food look even more appealing. Before picking the trays up again he knocked softly on Hermione's door, then turned the handle and peaked in on her.

"Hey sleeping beauty. You awake?" He called softly with a smile, and when he saw Hermione stir and just nod from her pillow, he took that as a yes. She didn't look to happy this morning, and hopefully his extra hours of work in the kitchen would pay off.

Harry walked over to the bed and sat on the side. He didn't have a shirt on, but just wore some loose fitting athletic shorts that were dark blue with a white stripe down the sides.

"How'd you sleep?"

"Alright. Better after you came in." She mumbled softly, then couldn't help but smile up at him.

"That's good. Glad I could help." Harry responded, looking much cheerier this morning then he did the previous night.

"I smell something delicious. What's for breakfast?" Hermione's curiosity—and her grumbling stomach—got the better of her.

"Well, everything basically." Harry joked with a grin, and then held up a finger to tell her to wait one moment.

Harry stood up and went out into the hall and grabbed the trays, carrying one and levitating the other with his wand like a circus act. "Taa daa!" He said, and Hermione could tell he felt very pleased with himself that he put all this together for her.

Hermione sat up and leaned against the head board, and had to laugh at his antics. "Wow, you've gone and right out done yourself, Harry." She complimented with a smile, her eyes much brighter now then a few minutes ago.

"I'll take that as a compliment, and I did it all for you. I'll just eat what you don't want."

"Thank you. You really didn't have to do this, although I'm glad you did. It looks great. I don't know where to start."

"May I recommend the pancakes, there's chocolate chip, blueberry, and plain ones. Take your pick." Harry said with another big grin.

Hermione laughed softly and nodded, picking up the tray with the pancakes and setting them on her lap. She grabbed a small syrup dispenser that was on the tray and poured it on her pancakes and dug into the blueberry ones. After swallowing she smiled, "Mmm, those are delicious. Send my compliments to the chef." She teased.

Harry laughed, and grabbed a strip of bacon off the other tray and sat down in a chair next to her bed, lounging his feet up on the side of the bed. "So, what would you like to do today, or do you have somewhere you need to be?" He asked.

Hermione shrugged, and then took another bite. "Well, I actually have to go talk to Molly about something. I'd like to do it earlier in the day if possible, but it shouldn't take me too long." She said softly. Thinking about the prospect of going to see Ron's mother was not the idea she fancied at the moment, but she had to. She couldn't even be sure Ron was there, but she knew he most likely was.

"Oh, well would you like me to come with you? I can give Ron a little punch or two if he starts to bother you." Harry said, joking light heartedly, hoping that wasn't crossing the lines with Hermione as far as joking went.

Hermione just laughed and shook her head. "No, it's fine. I should do this by myself. Plus, I don't need you and Ron getting into a fist fight. It's Ron and I that have a problem, you two are supposed to still be friends. Remember that." She told him. She was partially joking, but she didn't want things between Harry and Ron getting rough on her behalf.

"I can't rightfully be friends with him if I haven't talked to him in three years." Harry said, his tone portraying sadness, and some regret.

A yellow cab pulled up into Harry's driveway carrying Hermione and a little boy with light brown hair in the back seat. Hermione got out and paid the cab driver, then pulled the little boy's suit case out. For being so close to revealing to Harry the truth of her arrival, she felt pretty calm. Maybe it was having the boy's presence with her that reassured everything, that Harry couldn't possibly not help her, and not give this little boy a chance at a life with two parental figures.

Hermione let herself into Harry's house, not bothering to knock this time. "Harry! I'm back…" She called, her soft soprano voice echoing through the large estate.

Harry had been sitting in the living room watching some boring soap opera on the muggle television and sipping on a soda. Harry stood up quickly, glad to hear Hermione's voice again, and went to the door. Hermione had the little boy balancing on her left hip; his little arms clung to Hermione's neck.

Harry stopped a few feet away from Hermione and the little boy, a shocked look on his face. "Wh-who's the little one? Is he yours?" Harry finally managed to form his words as he walked up to Hermione, smiling down to the little boy, who could easily be Hermione's son, having the same dark, chocolate brown eyes.

Hermione laughed softly and shook her head, trying to do anything to keep her nerves down, but knew they would present themselves sooner or later. "No, he's not mine. This is Teddy Lupin." She said softly.

Harry's eyes widened when he heard the last name, then he smiled a crooked smile, looking at Teddy in Hermione's arms. "So-so this is…" He started to say, but the thought of Remus made his words catch in his throat. Hermione just nodded.

"Yes."

"Teddy!" The little boy shouted with a bright smile.

Hermione laughed, and nodded. "Yes, you are Teddy." She said teasingly, and then tickled the boy's stomach a little as he wriggled and laughed in her arms.

Teddy Lupin was three and a half years old and had no parents. Both Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks had died in the battle against Lord Voldemort, and now he was given to Hermione to be cared for. Nobody could figure out why the parents had kept their child a secret, even from their closest friends and family. This even shocked Molly Weasley to find out.

"You're the godfather." Hermione said quietly, looking into Harry's eyes with a small smile, but the smile was heavy, like she was trying to be happy, but she was burdened with something. She knew what she had to get off her chest.

"R-really?!" Harry asked, shocked, but he looked happy.

Hermione nodded and smiled as she looked at Teddy who in turn smiled back at Hermione, then yawned.

"I saw that!" Hermione teased Teddy and she poked his nose with her finger.

"I need to get him upstairs to have a nap. Can we talk when I'm done?" She asked Harry quietly, her eyes hopeful.

"Of course."

Hermione carried Teddy up to her room and laid him in her bed, pulling the covers up to his chin and tucked him in on the sides, which he giggled at.

"Sweet dreams." Hermione whispered to him, and kissed the boy's forehead.

Teddy smiled and obediently rolled over on his side and closed his eyes. So far he was one of the easiest kids to take care of, although Hermione had only babysat a few children in her life time.

Hermione shut Teddy's door and headed down the stairs to see Harry in the living room… pacing. Was he suspicious about this? Was he catching on to what Hermione needed? Right on queue, Hermione felt her stomach ball into a knot and her throat felt dry, her hands shaking with nervousness.

"Hermione, would you mind telling me what's going on? Why do you have my godson?" He asked curiously, but Hermione could tell he was trying to keep all signs of accusation out of his tone and expression.

Hermione took a deep breath and sat down on a large chair. She put her head in her hands and rubbed her forehead in a manner of a person who was under a lot of pressure. She finally looked back up at Harry.

"I have been given care of Teddy Lupin. Remus and Tonks put in a letter before they died, that if they were to die in the war I would be given care of the boy because apparently they think I'd make a good mother, which I don't completely agree with, but I'm willing to take on this responsibility." She started to explain, though she was far from done. She took a deep breath inward, as if out of breath from explaining all that.

Harry just looked at her, confused. "Alright, that makes sense. Does any of this have to do with you coming here?" He asked, looking at her wonderingly.

Hermione just nodded and bit her bottom lip slightly, and Harry just waited for her to speak, not rushing her.

"Th-this is why Ron and I got in that huge fight. I need help with Teddy; I don't want to play the role of a single mother. I don't want to have to do this all on my own. When I told Ron I needed his help, he-he backed out… just walked out on me…" Hermione said, her voice starting to falter at the end as she felt a lump form in her throat, and tears well up in her eyes.

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked back tears, and looked up into Harry's emerald eyes.

"I need _your_ help. Who better then to father a child who lost both parents at such a young age? I think you could be a great father, and you're my only hope, Harry, please… just hear me out. I have so many more reasons, if you'll just listen-…"

She was cut off by Harry's finger on her lips, and she looked up at him surprised. Harry got on his knees in front of her and took her hand. "Of course I'll help you. I would do anything to help you Hermione." He said softly.

Hermione was slightly shocked, she had to admit. She didn't expect such an answer. Then her thoughts came around to Ginny. She stood up quickly and pulled her hand away and paced a little, then stopped in front of the wall and leaned against it, wanting to slide down the wall and curl up on the floor, but she didn't. Her shaking knees held herself up thankfully.

"What about Ginny? Can you help me with this and still be with Ginny? I don't want you to leave her for this. If you have more of a commitment to her, then please don't put me first…" She explained, her tone slightly pleading.

Harry shook his head and sighed. "I have no commitment to her any more, Hermione. I don't love her anymore. It's been going badly for a while now. Neither of us is happy." He said definitively.

"But-but Harry, think reasonably about this. Can you do that to her? She'll be devastated. I don't want you to make a mistake because of me. I'm just employing you to think this through!" She told him, her voice rising slightly. It was hard for Hermione to believe Harry didn't love Ginny anymore; just like that. When she'd first arrived they looked happy together, and she could easily picture them together for the rest of their lives. If Harry was sane, he would stay with the easy route, but was the easiest route the right route?

"Can't you see, Hermione? The biggest mistake I've made was letting you get away from me, and I'm not going to let that happen again! I'm going to help you, and we'll build a family for Teddy. I want to give him a chance at a family I never had, and if breaking things off with Ginny is what I have to do—it's what I want to do—then so be it. Let me decide for myself… please?" Harry's voice had started to rise, like he was about to yell at her, but he calmed himself, and his tone seemed determined, and he looked at Hermione with a caring that she hadn't seen in his eyes before.

"Harry… going are separate ways was not your mistake." She whispered to him, tears starting to well up in her eyes again.

"We just… we drifted apart. It's not a mistake; it was just the way things happened." She added quietly.

Harry walked up to her slowly and took her hand in his. Her hand felt so small in his firm but soft grasp, yet it fit perfectly inside his palm.

"_Listen. To. Me._ You're staying here. I want to get to know the Hermione I've missed out on for so long." He told her, his eyes looking deep into hers for some understanding, but he'd found what Hermione had been trying to hide: months of fighting with Ron, fright, nervousness, doubt, but he also saw courage in her. She had the courage to take on the task of Teddy Lupin, and he was going to help her through it. He wouldn't let her go through this alone, and especially after she was rejected by Ron.

Hermione just stared into his eyes, letting him search for what he wanted. "Okay." She mumbled weakly as tears started to fall silently down her slightly freckled cheeks.

Harry reached a hand up and wiped the tears away with his thumb before they even reached her lips. Even though there were no more tears, his hand stayed on her cheek, and Hermione let her head rest in his hand a little, liking the feel of his warm skin on hers. It was comforting, it was her safety net.

Harry let go of Hermione's hand, and moved his hand away from her cheek, and she started to frown slightly, not wanting the contact to stop. Harry had no intention of that and quickly put his arms around her and pulled her to him in a tight hug. Hermione rested the side of her head on his muscular chest, and Harry kissed the top of her head and left his lips there, taking in the sweet smell of her hair as he ran one hand through it.

"You smell nice." Harry whispered.

"Thanks."


	4. Consider it Forgotten: Chapter 4

AN: Thanks for all the reviews

AN: Thanks for all the reviews! The story is far from done, so keep R&Ring please; it's appreciated, and keeps me writing even when I don't want to anymore. I know that sounds cheesy, but whatever, I'm not in the mood to care. XD

Tonight it felt to Hermione as if the darkness was heavier then it normally was in the sky. It weighed on her conscience, and she didn't like it. It made her fidget and want to know what was going on back at Harry's house. She had Teddy with her and was at her flat packing her things to take over to Harry's house. Her absence was nothing of coincidence. It was the time Ginny happened to be getting home. She'd left on purpose to get her things packed for Harry's… and so that Harry could break up with Ginny. She tried her hardest not to think about it, but it was difficult.

Ginny walked through the front door of Harry's house and hung up her jacket in the closet. She noticed Hermione's jacket was no longer there and she had a small hope that maybe she'd left, no matter how horrible she felt for thinking these thoughts; she just wanted it to be Harry and Ginny again. Harry had seemed different when Hermione showed up, and it worried her immensely.

"Harry! I'm home!" She called out as she took her shoes off and left them by the front door, then sighed in relief as she let her hair fall out of its pinned position in a bun.

"I'm in the living room." A soft and low voice called out.

Ginny walked to the living room, and smiled softly when she saw Harry sitting on the couch. She joined him on the leather sofa, curling up next to him, kissing his cheek.

"How was your day?" Ginny asked.

"Fine." Harry lied.

"How was yours?"

"Good, work is busy, but that's good for me. Means more money." She said with a shrug.

Ginny looked over at Harry when he didn't respond after her last comment. He looked stressed, but his face showed no emotion, Ginny could just tell in his body language; the way he sat. He didn't fully relax into the couch's back rest.

She reached a hand up and put it on his opposite cheek, and turned it so he had to look at her. No flicker of emotion came across his face as he looked at her. As if this somehow screamed "snog me" to Ginny, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Harry felt it lacked a little luster on his side, but he didn't care. He didn't care _for her_ anymore.

He reached a hand up and replaced his lips with a finger to stop her from kissing him anymore.

"We need to talk." He said quietly.

Ginny moved away from him and let out a groan, as if she was a teenager and her mother was about to give her the birds and the bees talk.

Harry immediately took offense to that.

"Let's be mature about this, okay?" He said, not really giving her a choice as he looked over at her squarely.

"Yeah…" She mumbled, looking away from him and crossing her arms.

Harry let out an exasperated growl and stood up from the couch and looked down to her, glaring.

"You always do this. Acting as if talking about our issues is some petty little thing only _I _seem to care about!" He yelled down to her.

Great timing is something Hermione had a knack for. She carried her trunk in her right hand, and balanced a sleeping Teddy in her left arm and on her hip. Harry hadn't heard the sound of the door open because right when Hermione opened the door she'd heard Harry's angered voice echoing through the house. It made her shiver. She bit her bottom lip as she quickly made for the stairs, trying not to wake Teddy. She hurried him up to her room and laid Teddy in bed. He didn't stir one bit. She tucked him in and sighed as she looked at him for a moment, then left. She walked out into the hallway, which, if one looked straight down the stairs, had a partial view into the living room… and the uproar that was now breaking out.

Ginny looked up at him, completely taken aback, although Hermione might argue that it had been in a mocking gesture as Ginny put a hand to her chest as if to say, "Who, me?"

"That's not fair, Harry! You know full well you're the one who's always jumping on me every night. You don't want to talk either…" She yelled back, standing up. She'd accused him as well, but had not defended herself from his own accusations. Ginny knew she was guilty of her crime.

Harry took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes; his own were cold and distant.

"Ginny, I think it's only fair for you to know why Hermione is really here. Remus and Tonks had a son before they died, and now Hermione is given care of him, and she needs my help. Ron bailed on her, that's why they broke up, and she needs me, and I think that's the least I can give her after being out of her life all these years."

Ginny looked slightly shocked, and she did something Harry didn't expect. She laughed, as if Harry was telling a joke.

"Wait, so you're going to help Hermione take care of a kid?" She asked, putting a slightly more darkened meaning on the word 'kid'.

"_Yes_."

"How… how the _hell_ are you going to do that?" She asked, her expression turning from amused to angry to confused and back again.

Harry glared at her, his fists clenched.

"I intend to be a good father to that boy. I'm his godfather more then anything, but I want to give him a chance at a life I never had."

"You seem to have turned out fine. Does Hermione even know about that time you came home drunk, and I had to put you to bed like a little child? Did you tell her that, huh?"

"Get out."

Ginny gaped. How had their conversation turned to him kicking her out?

"Ginny, it's over. You can't seem to understand Hermione's situation, and if you're not going to be any ounce of help, I want you out. Our relationship wasn't working out anyways. It's time we broke this off." He said sternly, his gaze flickering from the floor up the her.

A million things happened at once: Hermione and Ginny both got lumps in their throats and tears welled up in their eyes. Hermione's knees buckled as she leaned against a wall and slid down to the floor, where she could no longer see anything, but hear everything. Ginny took a step back and let out a single, heart broken sob.

"I'm sorry, Harry… please. I want to make this work… _us_ work. I still love you, I need you. Don't do this Harry, we can talk. I'm willing to talk it all out right now!" She said her last sentence a little franticly.

"I… I love you…" Ginny added in a whisper as she looked at Harry with tears coming down her cheeks.

Hermione closed her eyes and laid her head on her knees, putting her arms around her legs to complete a fetal position, though she still managed to stay vertical, and not curl up on the floor. Harry wasn't the one breaking up with her, so why was she loosing it?

"I'm sorry. I just… I don't return the same feelings." Harry said a little gruffly, his eyes averted from Ginny.

Ginny let out a few sobs, and put her hand over her mouth and closed her eyes. Harry took a step forward, his hand twitched in her direction to comfort her, but he wanted to make his statement clear, so he stayed put. He did feel bad, that was definite, but this needed to end.

Ginny looked back up at Harry after a moment. She opened her mouth to say something, but as soon as it was open it was closed again and Ginny was gone.

Upstairs Hermione winced as the door slammed behind Ginny, and she looked up, doing a fairly decent job at keeping her sobs quiet. She was glad it was over, but she felt horrible, like she was the one breaking up with Ginny. This was her fault. She'd set this into motion, and no matter how much Harry told her over and over again he wanted to, she still held that remorse in her heart. She did side with Ginny on the fact that Harry didn't have to be so harsh about his letting her go. He hadn't let the words come out… gently.

Hermione heard footsteps, slow and heavy, thudding up the stairs. She gasped quickly and stood up and went into the bathroom nearest her, but she didn't see the point. Harry knew. He threw open the bathroom door and grabbed Hermione in his arms and hugged her tightly, which she then proceeded to sob non stop for two minutes while Harry just stood in the bathroom hugging her, and rubbing her back every once in a while.

Some would say this could be a very romantic scene, and a break through in Harry and Hermione's relationship. Now both were free from feeling guilty about being together in his house. Harry was free of his relationship that tied him down. Others would say this was just plain awkward. "_We're in a bathroom for Merlin's sake" _Hermione thought as she tried to pull herself together. She pulled herself away from Harry's chest, loosening his arms.

"Hermione, please don't cry over this. I'm here to help you. And if I said take it or leave it… well, I'm not even giving you the choice. This was my choice, not yours. Just believe me when I say I'm already happier now." He explained, trying to put on a smile for her.

Hermione thought about his words, and her conclusion was a stern glare up to him. She wriggled out of his arms and leaned against the bathroom counter.

"You're a right prat you know?" She said, a little more coldly then she'd meant to.

"Oh yeah? And how's that?"

"Well you didn't have to break it to her so harshly! Do you know what a break up does to a girl?" She asked him, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yes. It makes her cry at night, and lose all confidence in herself to even ask an old friend for help…" He took a step closer to her. "It causes her heart to crumble and the rubble is reflected in her eyes along with the shadow of a pain that emanates in every moment… of every day…" His voice faded into a whisper.

Hermione looked up at him from gazing at the tile on the floor. Her eyes were a little wider then normal.

"Do I really look that bad?"

"No. You look amazing."

Before Hermione knew it Harry's lips crashed against hers along with his body, pressing her against the sink counter. At first Hermione welcomed the feeling, closing her eyes, her hands behind her on the counter, holding herself up. As soon as she felt Harry's hands reach up to tangle in her hair, her own arms went up and she placed them both firmly on his chest and pushed him away.

"W-what? I-I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't…" He was lost for words as he stared at this girl in front of him, her expression like Ginny's, but how could it be? He'd just done the very opposite thing, but that was why Hermione was now angry.

"Are you drunk?!" She asked him, shouting the words as she threw her arms into the air in exasperation and walked around him.

"No! What? Why would you say that?" He asked, startled.

"Wel,l Ginny did mention something you failed to."

"That was one time! Hermione, I'm not drunk! I just… you-you looked…" He said, his voice turning soft again, as if he had admiration for Hermione.

"I looked what? Vulnerable? Like a heart broken girl who needed a good snog to make her feel better?" She asked defensively.

Harry shook his head vigorously and grabbed Hermione's wrist as she tried to walk off and back to her room.

"No. You looked beautiful." He said softly, his tone was so definitive it took Hermione by storm.

She stopped trying to walk away from him, and sighed.

"Harry, you just broke up with Ginny. I feel like it's my fault, and I'm still getting over Ron. Don't put me in that position…" She said quietly, pleading.

Harry let go of her wrist in response to her words. He felt rejected.

"Trust me. Everybody's feelings are crazy right now. I'm sure you'll regret what you did in the morning, and I won't judge you for it." She said with a small, teasing smile.

Harry sighed. Now he could either say it wasn't a crazy feeling to go out on a whim and kiss her and that he really did have feelings for her that he wanted to share with her, or he could agree with her and keep himself in check for the rest of her time here; back pedal and say it was a spur of the moment thing. One thing he knew for sure. He'd never regret it. Nobody in their right mind would ever regret something that felt so good… so right.

"I'm sorry. Forget it ever happened." He concluded.

Hermione smiled, a little apologetically.

"Consider it forgotten."


	5. A Full Moon: Chapter 5

AN: Sorry

AN: Sorry! I've been really busy lately, and so I haven't gotten a chance to write the fifth chapter. So it seems like a lot of people like my story! Thanks for much for putting it on your alerts, and if you could be so kind as to check out my other fan fiction on here, that I co-wrote: It's called "A Hogwarts Tale: The Alchemist: Betrayal" It's under Lethal Trinity's account. We need more people to read and comment on it. It's going to be a two part story, so if you read this, you must go read that one too!!

Disclaimer: Same thing, yadda yadda yadda, you know this drill.

A week had gone by since Ginny's departure, and now Hermione and Teddy were considered permanent residents of the Potter Manor. Hermione sat on the couch in the living room in front of Harry's muggle television as Teddy played with the remote. Hermione left him to his own devices to figure out how it worked, seeing as that would keep him occupied longer. Hermione read a book that was sitting in her lap, her legs crossed underneath it, and hot chocolate in her left hand. She took sips of it here and there as she read.

It was late in the evening, they'd already eaten dinner, and it was almost Teddy's bed time, but Harry told her to let Teddy stay up, because he had something to show them out in the backyard when he was finished. Harry seemed to be doing yard work, but Hermione wasn't sure because he wouldn't let her come outside until it was time.

Hermione read a little longer, soon finishing her cocoa and setting the cup on the coffee table, and Teddy was slowly getting bored of trying to figure out that blasted black stick with colorful buttons all over it, that he got bored and crawled over to Hermione and looked down at her page.

"No pictures?" He asked curiously.

Hermione smiled and shook her head. "No. When you get older, you can make up the pictures in your head from the words." She said with a smile.

"It's time!" Harry had called from inside the backdoor as he was pocketing his wand.

Hermione smiled and scooped Teddy up and walked over to Harry.

"Alright. Now just to warn you, it could be a little overwhelming. The backyard needed a little fixing, and I wanted a place outside where you two could go if you wanted." He explained with a mischievous grin.

"Just get on with it Harry!" Hermione said jokingly with a exasperated shake of her head.

"Fine, fine." Then he opened the back doors and there was a large porch made out of dark wood, a dining table, but made for the outdoors, and chairs around it with a folded umbrella in the middle. There were lawn chairs on the other side of the porch, and off to the right was a medium sized pool that had a string of lights suspended around it, though the lights seemed to just float there like little Chinese lanterns not connected to anything.

"Wow, Harry, this is brilliant. It's so beautiful."

"Why thank you. I slaved all day over it." Harry joked.

Teddy pointed at the lights with wide eyes, most likely mesmerized by their suspension in mid-air.

"I think you'll love this part, 'Mione." Harry said with another one of his sly grins, and took her hand and pulled her and Teddy over to what seemed to be a short white gate with a matching fence around it, and inside were tall flowers growing up wooden stands that the vines intertwined through. Harry opened the gate for Hermione and Teddy, and Hermione walked inside and took a sharp breath in as she was hit by a million different amazing scents from all the flowers around her.

"I never knew you had such a feminine side." Hermione teased as she looked around.

"Hey! This is hard work, it is!" Harry protested, then took her hand again and led her down a row of sun flowers to a white metal bench, with a back to it and metal arms on either side and on the legs of the bench were white, metal vines welded around them, almost looking lifelike as they ended in blooming flowers.

"Did you make this?"

"Sure did." Harry replied with a grin.

"Go have a seat, try it out."

Hermione set Teddy down and walked over to the bench, Teddy followed. She was afraid to sit down. It looked so beautifully crafted, but to beautiful to be sturdy enough to hold her. She slowly sat down on it and ran her hands along the seat, feeling the smoothness of it.

"I love it. It's beautiful." Hermione breathed. Over the bench seemed to be an overhang of pink, white and red Chinese cherry blossoms.

Over the entire back yard seemed to appear a layer of moonlight, and a full moon had come out from behind the clouds. Hermione didn't think anything of it until Teddy, who still sat next to her, began shaking uncontrollably. Hermione jumped and kneeled in front of Teddy and shook his shoulders a bit. "Teddy!" She screamed at him.

Harry ran to her side and saw Teddy's eyes roll back into his head slightly. Suddenly he knew what was happening. He remembered that night vividly, in their third year, as they watched their professor become a beast. He grabbed Hermione's hands and pulled her away.

"Hermione, stop! Get away from him!" He yelled at her, but Hermione kept yelling at Teddy, trying to get him to respond, but he kept shaking, as if he was having a seizure. He fell onto the ground off of the bench and landed on his hands and knees, and his back arched and his body began to take on a new form.

Hermione screamed and looked away. "Get into the house. Now!" Harry yelled at her, and pushed her in that direction. Hermione looked back at Teddy one more time before running back to the house, putting her trust in Harry to handle whatever was going on.

Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at Teddy, his hand shaking slightly. He knew what was going on, and he knew Teddy could hurt them, even though he was just a little child. He slowly backed away to the house, keeping his wand pointed.

Teddy's head finally looked up from his spot on the ground and he stared at Harry, his eyes seemed as black as the night above him. His nails dug into the ground, his legs had a dog like bend to them, yet he didn't seemed covered in fur, and dog like at all. This seemed to scare Harry even more then if he had really taken on the full form of a werewolf. This little child was looking at him like he was food.

The boy launched his small body at Harry, and Harry responded with a stunning spell and the boy flew backwards, flipping once in the air, but landing on all fours. Harry turned and ran to the house and when he got to the porch, he saw Hermione at the backdoor with it cracked slightly. Her knees were shaking, and her eyes glistened with tears.

Teddy skidded around the corner coming out of the garden and looked at Harry as he crouched, more like a cat then a dog like demon, and waited for Harry to move. In one swift movement, Harry turned for the door, Hermione moved away and as Harry shut the backdoor on the cold night air, a loud thud could be heard on the other side of the glass from Teddy Lupin running into the closed doors. Harry quickly sealed the doors with his wand, breathing heavily, and closed the curtains so that they couldn't see the boy who seemed no longer an innocent child.

They heard scratching at the glass, and they both stood there, silent, not moving. After a few minutes of holding still, the scratching on the glass stopped and they heard nothing outside. Hermione thought she could hear the ragged breathing coming from the other side, but that was a sound she tried to block out. She let out a small sob, and as soon as she did Harry had his arms around her, holding her closely.

"It's okay. It's going to be fine, I promise. We should have seen this coming. His father was a werewolf; it's only to be expected." Harry whispered as he rubbed her back to calm her.

Hermione pulled her head away from being buried in his chest, and wiped her tears. She moved out of his comforting arms and over to the door, she made a move to push back the curtains, but Harry grabbed her wrist.

"No! Don't…" He said, loudly at first, then quieted. "He won't be his normal self again until sunrise. We can't risk anything until then. He must stay outside." He instructed her sternly.

Hermione pulled her hand away from his wrist, an angry expression on his face. "I'm not going to leave him outside all night by himself! He's only a child!" She yelled. More scratching began on the door, and then it seemed that Teddy was launching his body at the doors to get them to break under his strength.

"He's not a child anymore Hermione! Right now, he's a werewolf, now get away from the doors!" He said sternly again, and grabbed her and pulled her away from the shaking doors by wrapping his arms around her torso.

Hermione tried to wrench herself away from him, but Harry held her tightly, and she finally gave up, to tired now to argue with him, and settled for crying in his arms again.

"Harry, please… I promise I won't go near the door, just let me go. I'm fine now…" She said softly, but squarely, and Harry immediately let go of her, feeling a little hurt. He had been comforting her then, not trying to hold on to her. He thought she'd wanted his comfort now, but apparently not.

"Now we know why Remus and Tonks hid him from everyone else. They wanted to keep his secret _a secret_. I know Lupin wouldn't have wanted a life for his son, one that he had to live. I bet he felt terrible, so torn inside. He probably felt like it was his fault, but he couldn't help it…" Hermione said sadly, walking over to the hallway wall a good fifteen feet away from the backdoors and leaned against it, then sunk down to the floor.

Harry joined her, and put his arm around her shoulders, and leaned his head on top of hers.

"I'm sure he was, but it doesn't matter what has happened to Teddy, he's still an amazing little boy, and I'm still helping you take care of him; now more so then before." Harry said with a soft chuckle.

"Thank you, but I'm going to need help from other people then just you. We need to tell Molly about this."

Harry nodded and sighed. "You should get some sleep, don't worry about Teddy. I'll listen for anything. I'm here to keep you safe Hermione… you and Teddy." He said softly as he kissed the top of her head.

Hermione sighed and closed her eyes. "Thank you." She whispered again.

Harry soon heard her steady breathing, and he knew she was asleep. She had lain down on the floor with her head resting on his right leg, and one hand resting on his leg as well next to her head. Harry looked down at her admiringly, stroking her hair softly.

He liked the way her hair had curled as she got older, no longer frizzy, but soft and golden. She looked so peaceful when she slept. Her skin was soft and cream colored, and her eyelashes were long and brown and curved perfectly, and her lips looked pink and full.

He found himself imagining her _with _him. He realized he was thinking about things that were absolutely out of bounds in a friendship, yet he didn't stop himself. She'd grown up, filled out in all the right spots and looked so beautiful. He thought himself insane now to not have realized her perfection before. How could he have ignored something so amazing? His eyes ran down her body, a little too longingly. He finally came to his senses and looked up at the opposite wall of the hallway as he leaned his head back, he took a deep breath, and tried to think about other things, but everything came back to Hermione.

He knew she would make an amazing mother to her own child or children one day, and he secretly hoped it would be his, but he was never going to tell her that. It wasn't going to happen.

When Harry finally saw sun peak through the sides of the curtains around the door, he shook his head, trying to wake himself up more. He had stayed up all night, mostly occupying himself with looking or thinking about Hermione. He put a hand on Hermione's shoulder and shook her gently.

"Hermione, wake up. It's morning." He whispered, then repeated himself in a normal tone when Hermione didn't respond.

"Huh?" Hermione groaned as she stirred and sat up, but slumped against the wall as she got a huge head rush.

"Easy… it's okay. I just wanted to let you know it's morning, I was going to go check on Teddy." He said quietly. That seemed to wake up Hermione enough as she stood up quickly, ignoring her aching limbs from laying on the floor, and headed to the back door.

Harry grabbed her wrist quickly. "Wait, let me go first, just to check." He said with an assuring, small smile. Hermione hesitated but nodded and stepped back.

Harry grabbed the door knob and slowly turned, waiting for any sound, but nothing happened. He opened the door and it creaked a little, but other then that, there was no sound. He stepped out onto the porch and was temporarily blinded by the sunlight, seeing spots a little, but when his eyes focused again he saw Teddy curled up in a fetal position on the grass a little way from the porch. He seemed like a normal little boy again. No growls issued from his throat instead of snores, and his hands were in little fists at the end of his arms wrapped around himself that had kept him warm during the night.

Harry approached the sleeping Teddy cautiously, then kneeled down next to him. Hermione had appeared a few feet behind him, looking at Teddy with sad, tired eyes, biting a finger nail nervously. Harry reached a hand out and shook Teddy's shoulder softly, much like he had to Hermione, and Teddy's eyes immediately opened and Harry jumped back.

"Miony!" Teddy yelled in his happy toddler voice and ran to Hermione. Hermione grinned and scooped him up. Harry reached a hand out, wanting her to be careful, but let his hand fall back to his side, knowing Teddy was back to normal now.

"He's freezing." Hermione commented quietly to Harry, stroking the little boys back as he shook in her arms, burying his head in her hair that hung against her shoulder.

Harry nodded in acknowledgement and ushered the two back inside the house.

Hermione took Teddy into the living room and sat down with Teddy.

"Teddy, are you okay. Are you hurt?"

"No. I'm fine."

"Do you know what happened last night?"

Teddy shook his head with a confused look. Hermione thought about this, looking away from the boy for a moment.

"Oh, of course you don't!" Hermione said, putting a hand to her head. In her third year, Hermione remembered reading a bunch of different books on werewolves for her essay that Snape had assigned, and for outside reading when she'd suspected Professor Lupin of being a werewolf. A young werewolf doesn't remember anything that happens when they're changed until they come of age, around 11 or 12. Teddy wouldn't remember a thing from last night. That made Hermione feel a little better, but it also made her more frightened.

Along with memory of being a werewolf, a young werewolf doesn't have as much control over what they do when they're young. They'll hunt anyone or anything. When the werewolf gets older, then choose their prey more carefully. Hermione pulled Teddy into her arms and held him close in her lap.

She kissed his head and whispered, "It'll all be okay. There's nothing to worry about."


End file.
